Xi Jinping’s plan to overtake America in AI
China’s leaders believe they can outwit American cash and utopianism
On May 21st J.D. Vance, America’s vice-president, described the development of artificial intelligence as an “arms race” with China. If America paused because of concerns over AI safety, he said, it might find itself “enslaved to PRC-mediated ai”. The idea of a superpower showdown that will culminate in a moment of triumph or defeat circulates relentlessly in Washington and beyond.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Race of the century”
From the May 31st 2025 edition
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